NASA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
AC 321-867-2468
_____________________________________________________________
For Release: Oct. 10, 2002
Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468
KSC Release No. 98 - 02
SLI's SPACE-BASED TELEMETRY AND RANGE SAFETY PROJECT DEMONSTRATED
Groundbreaking developments constantly improve today's technology, and the Space
Launch Initiative's Space-Based Telemetry And Range Safety (STARS) project continues
the tradition by impacting the future of space travel.
Last month, participants witnessed a demonstration of the STARS Command and Data
Handler (C&DH) flight processor, developed by KSC civil servants. C&DH lead software
designer Chris Forney demonstrated the flight processor's capabilities.
"The STARS project is a critical component of KSC's strategic move into range
technology development," said Jim Heald, Spaceport Engineering and Technology
director. "The engineering and program management inherent in the STARS project is a
testament to the innovative skills of the KSC workforce."
Unlike present methods, STARS will demonstrate the capability of a space-based
platform to provide Range Safety and Range User support for a variety of launch
vehicles. "STARS will help prove the concept of a space-based range," said Heald.
"Space-based ranges are critical to reducing the high cost of maintaining older ground
based, down range infrastructure."
Range Safety support includes flight termination processing from both space and ground
assets and vehicle tracking utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.
Range User support includes high return link data rates for voice, video and vehicle
data.
STARS will demonstrate, in flight, the ability to provide vehicle position tracking data
during over-the-horizon flight operations. It will also determine feasibility of forward
and return satellite links for real-time monitoring. STARS will use existing, proven
satellite systems such as TDRSS and GPS to provide reliable communications and
minimize flight demonstration risk.
As a result of the streamlining, STARS plans to reduce the cost of delivering payload to
orbit by reducing ground operation costs, which sequentially supports NASA's Space
Launch Initiative (SLI). According to STARS Project Manager Lisa Valencia,
estimates show that using these methods could reduce costs by up to $40 million per
year.
A space-based range would require less communication, manpower and maintenance
costs than the current ground-based range infrastructure. Other benefits include a
decreased launch turnaround time, the ability to launch multiple vehicles
simultaneously and the ability to launch 2nd generation vehicles from any U.S.
spaceport.
Along with KSC (the STARS' program management center), the Dryden Flight Research
Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Goddard Space Flight Center, Glenn Research Center,
White Sands Complex, and Marshall Space Flight Center all have project
responsibilities. For example, STARS flight demonstrations are scheduled to begin at
Dryden in 2003. "The project could be considered a great example of NASA
Administrator Sean O'Keefe's vision of One NASA," said C&DH Lead Engineer Erik Denson.
The Space Launch Initiative is NASA's technology research and development program
aimed at increasing safety and reliability and reducing the cost of a 2nd generation
reusable launch vehicle. All NASA's field centers and the Air Force Research Laboratory
are actively participating in the Space Launch Initiative and are vital to its success.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., leads the Space Launch
Initiative for NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology.
Further information on the Space Launch Initiative can be found at:
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